This was a request by TheunicornfromMERP2 who wanted another shower scene with Jaspert involved. How Deryn and Alek got on the Minotaur I haven't a clue, but it still makes a lovely chapter.

Alek had learned a few things while on board the Minotaur:

One: This particular airship was smaller and more intimate than the Leviathan. The men all knew one another and everyone on the crew knew Alek.

Two: Unlike on other ships, the airmen aboard the Minotaur were all Scotsmen. Large, loud, tough, vicious Scotsmen.

Three: Alek was definitely NOT Scottish and therefore NOT even remotely considered a crewmember.

Four: Dylan was automatically accepted as part of the crew, especially since his cousin was a lieutenant on the ship.

Five: Said cousin, Lieutenant Jaspert Sharp, was the upmost annoying and arrogant bastard that Alek had ever met.

Jaspert's favorite pastimes included spitting in Alek's food, jumping up out of nowhere and frightening him, wrestling Alek to the ground and the worst: mocking Alek's accent. Even though Jaspert wasn't anywhere near the largest or strongest man in the crew, he still held one of the highest spots amongst the ship's social ladder. All the men loved Jaspert Sharp. The witty, humorous boy was a bit of a hero amongst the airmen just because he was the ship clown.

Unfortunately, Alek was Jaspert's newest form of entertainment.

"Good evening, princy boy!" Jaspert cried when he saw Alek coming. Alek quickly made to turn around and avoid him.

"Come on, your highness, I'm only messing with you. Nothing but a little harmless teasing! Now get back over here I've been meaning to ask you a favor."

Alek didn't buy it for one moment. However, he did turn back towards Jaspert out of curiosity.

Currently, Jaspert was standing in front of the doorway to the ship's shower room. The Minotaur, being smaller than the Leviathan, only was equipped with three showers. Alek had been waiting until nightfall before heading for the showers to rinse off after a long day only to find that Jaspert was blocking his passage.

"I really don't have time for this, Lt. Sharp." Alek said. "I was hoping you would let me into the bathroom, but seeing that you are blocking the door, I suppose I will have to come back another time. Good night."

He made to leave again and Jaspert stopped him by admitting a long low whistle.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, Herr Aleksander. Actually, I really do need a favor from you. So if you were to waltz on over here and talk with me a bit, I may even let you use the showers!"

Alek had a horrible feeling that this was some sort of trick, yet he couldn't help coming over to speak to the other boy.

"That's better." Jaspert said as soon as Alek was in arm's length. "I'm only going to ask this once, so answer me truthfully. Have you got a girl back home?"

Bewildered, Alek didn't answer right away. But he did eventually respond truthfully like Jaspert asked.

"A girl? Mien Gott, no! In case you have forgotten, sir, I was escaping Austria. So even if I had the opportunity to court a lady back home I can assure you that she would no longer be able to contact me anyways."

Jaspert narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Slowly he looked Alek up and down like he was critiquing a horse for auction.

"Fair enough." He said. "Would you ever consider courting a girl that was below your status?"

Now it was time for Alek to narrow his eyes.

"Excuse me, but I do not see the point in asking me these questions. Since when does my romantic life interest you so much?"

"Just answer the god damn question, prince."

Alek sighed.

"If I am able to take my proper place as the Emperor of Austria Este, then I would be forced to wed a woman of equal nobility. However, seeing that this war is playing out in a way where that wouldn't happen, it would not matter who I decided to court."

The prospect had passed Alek's mind before. He had never fancied the girls he had met as possible candidates for marriage. But before the war, Alek had considered his wedding to be one of royal necessity, not love. Nowadays he was beginning to consider other options. Like leading a normal life with a woman he actually cared for.

"Well said." Jaspert commented. "I know I haven't made life easy for you lately."

"Easy for you to say." Alek mumbled.

"But I had my reasons. And let's just say you have passed my tests. Believe it or not, I've actually been growing to like you a wee bit."

He gave Alek a hard slap on the back causing the prince to drop the soap and towel he was holding.

"Even though you're a Clanker ninny, I still think you're a decent Clanker ninny."

"Ummmm….thanks." Alek said as he leaned down to pick up the things he had dropped. Was Jaspert suddenly complimenting him?

"At first I couldn't understand what Dylan sees in you, and sometimes I still don't, but I honor his decision. In fact, you should go talk to him now. He's taking a shower at the moment and he asked me to guard the door for him."

Alek scrunched up his brow in confusion.

"Guard the door?"

"It sounds stupid, but Dylan is a very prude lad."

Alek supposed it made sense. He had to admit he had never seen Dylan change his clothing in front of other people. And the midshipman always made a point to sleep with his shirt on even in the warmest weather.

"He won't be mad if I join him?" Alek asked.

"Of course not! He'd be delighted for the company."

Still thinking this was some sort of trick, Alek questioned Jaspert a little more.

"What makes you so sure Dylan is even in there?"

Jaspert rolled his eyes. "This is gonna be harder than I thought. Listen, Clanker. Dylan's not only my cousin but my best friend. I want you two to be as close as we are. That sounds a bit weird, but it's true. So get you're arse in there and talk to him. You aren't gonna get another chance with just the two of you in private."

This did sound weird but Jaspert had never sounded more sincere to Alek's ears.

"Fine." Alek said and began towards the shower room door.

"Oh, and one more thing. You be a chap and let me be your best man at the wedding, aye?"

"Huh?"

"Excellent. Cheers, mate. Good night." Jaspert saluted him loosely and left.

The steam of the showers and the sound of water running were proof that Jaspert wasn't kidding about someone being inside. Alek could hear the faint sound of humming from the furthest stall and from the look of the clothing outside the curtain, he assumed it was Dylan.

"Good evening, Dylan." Alek bellowed over the running water. There was a small yelp from the shower and the sound of something dropping on the ground.

"Barking spiders! Who is that!"

"It's only me." He began to remove his shirt and trousers as he waited for Dylan to respond.

"Blisters, Alek! How the hell did you get in here?"

"Jaspert let me in. He's acting very strangely." Alek said as he removed the remainder of his clothes. "I think he's trying to play some sort of practical joke on me. It's rather bothersome."

A small face peered out from behind Dylan's shower curtain. The midshipman was red from the hot water and his hair was full of soap. Alek gave him a large friendly smile and moved to turn on the water of his own stall.

"What do you think, Dylan?" He asked.

Dylan didn't seem to have heard him because he was too busy staring at Alek. Apparently he wasn't used to showering with other people. To Alek it was nothing. If you had to spend several weeks in a stormwalker with four other men, you got over polite practicalities rather quickly.

"I'm getting in the shower now." Alek said to break Dylan's concentration. The other boy's face turned even redder.

"OH! Sorry!" He quickly pulled his head back into the stall where Alek couldn't see him.

Alek laughed a little at his awkward friend and closed the curtain to his stall. It was delightfully warm and he was very thankful that the ship had a running water system, even if it did smell like the inside of an animal.

"As I was saying, I believe your cousin has changed somehow. He declared he had actually taken a liking to me."

"That's swell. Nice chatting with you. I have to go.

There was a brief pause while Dylan shut off the water.

"Wait, you don't have to leave!" Alek protested. He saw a blur of movement as Dylan retrieved his clothing quickly and changed behind the curtain of his shower.

"Change of plans, sorry." Dylan announced. A second later he was exiting the room with his shirt loosely on and his pants unbuttoned.

"But, I was supposed to talk to you." Alek said. It was no use, Dylan had already left.

Alek gave a frustrated sigh and continued with his shower. He hoped he hadn't hurt Dylan's feelings.

Afterwards Alek walked back to his bedroom by himself, wondering what could have happened to the midshipman. He entered his room and tossed the wet towel aside before starting towards the bed, but was interrupted when a tall blond figure approached him.

"So, I hope all went well with your bath."

"Jaspert! Wha…what are you doing in here?"

Jaspert shrugged. "Just waiting for you to get back. I'm dying to hear what you think!"

"Did you break into my room? How dare you!"

"That doesn't matter. What did you say to Deryn?"

"I think it matters quite a bit, actually! I'll have you know that…."

"Oh pipe down, Clanker, I didn't touch any of your things. Now go on. Did you two hit it off?"

Alek crossed his arms and made a harrumph sound. "I beg your pardon?"

"What did she say when you figured it out? Did she confess her love to you? I wish I could have stayed and seen it happen, but she would have beaten me black and blue. She probably still will, but this way it doesn't look as bad."

"What in the heavens are you talking about? Someone is confessing their love to me? Are you mad?"

Jaspert furrowed his brow and bit his lip.

"Surely you must have figured it out." He said. "Seriously, Clanker, you aren't that thick, are you?"

Alek stomped his foot angrily and pointed at the door.

"Get out of my room! You aren't making a bit of sense!"

But Jaspert didn't budge.

"You really don't know. I guess I'll have to tell you straight then, although it would have been a hoot if you figured it out the old fashioned way."

He shook his head with a sigh and then, to Alek's great annoyance, he sat on the bed.

"Dylan is a girl."

Alek rolled his eyes.

"I'm not believing that for a moment. I knew you were going to play some sort of joke on me!"

Yet Jaspert looked incredibly serious. His face was straight and his eyes were strangely focused.

"I'm not joking around, Alek, she's a girl. Her real name's Deryn and she disguised herself as a boy so she could get in the service."

"That's ridiculous!" Alek cried. Jaspert gave him a mischievous grin.

"Think about it, Clanker. When was the last time you saw Dylan change his clothes? How about shaving? He barely has a hair on his chin. Now you just took a shower with him, did you notice anything strange?"

Yes, now that Jaspert brought it up the way Dylan behaved was very strange.

"But….but…that's absurd!"

"That's Deryn. She's a little off her rocker, always has been. Doesn't mean I don't love her or anything. She is my kid sister."

"Your sister!"

"Aye. The Airforce knows I don't have any brothers so we told'em that she was my cousin. Worked rather well actually. I'm surprised no one has figured it out yet."

A queasy sensation filled the lower part of Alek's stomach. Dylan was a girl! It made sense, actually. The boy had a very feminine build. Alek was a little ashamed he hadn't noticed earlier.

"Wait a minute. What sort of brother are you? She asked you to guard the bathroom door and you purposefully let me in!"

Jaspert laughed. "The girl's head over heels in love with you. I couldn't just stand by and watch her moon over you without you even noticing. The war'll be ending soon and if she never told you her secret, she'd probably never see you again. I couldn't call myself a good brother if I didn't nip this situation in the bud and get the ball rolling, so to say."

Alek shuddered. A thought occurred to him that made his face flush.

"But I….I wasn't wearing anything! Just then, in the shower! God's wounds…."

Jaspert erupted into a fit of giggles.

"It's not the end of the world." He finally spoke. "Deryn may have gotten an eyeful, but that could be considered a good thing."

Alek shook his head in disbelief.

"You really are a terrible brother."

"Thanks." Jaspert said, standing and giving Alek a little bow. "Anyways, it's getting late. I should be getting to bed. Take care, Alek, and be good to my sister. You two really do make a cute couple."

Couple? Alek thought as Jaspert took his leave. What on Earth has he gotten me into?

Alek gave one last sigh before collapsing on the bed and trying to fall asleep.